A member crying out: why am I contributing to ATS?

It is with a heavy heart I am posting this, as I really enjoy coming to this board, reading its topics and participating in the ongoing
discussions.

Now I recently saw a great idea, shared by many, which was cut off short because of the T&C.

Thread Closed:

Please Review the Terms and Conditions of Use
www.abovetopsecret.com...
1 e.) Recruitment/Solicitation:

i) You will not use your membership at The Above Network, LLC site(s) for any type of recruitment to any causes whatsoever. You will not post, use the
chat feature or use the private message system to disseminate advertisements, chain letters, petitions, pyramid schemes, or any kind of solicitation
for political action, social action, letter campaigns, or related online and/or offline coordinated actions of any kind.

You know what I am talking about, the topic got flagged way up.

I am not going to repeat the subject as it would mean this post would disappear as well.

Now I ask all of you, seriously, what is the point in coming here if this kind of strict policies exist? What is to point devoting time and creativity
to a board which seems only interested in protecting their income stream?

Are they the enemy?

I do not think so.
But we are being held in containment, whichever way you look at it...

During these times, in this day & age, please remind me why exactly I keep coming here in support of ATS because I am close to shutting down my
browser an never visiting abovetopsecret.com EVER again.

And once I have decided that, it is final, I will say goodbye for good. No lurking no nothing. Yes I know the majority could not care less.

If only you could see how wrong it is to impose restrictions on such a great medium, be it for political correctness, profit, or whatever reason they
give you.

The recent closing of the aforementioned thread is as far as I am willing to go. ATS is a mini dictatorship in disguise. At least this is how I see
it.

Feel free to close, displace or whatever. You do what you do best, which is make money and contain the CT community. This is how I feel, now to take
away the sting a little: I KNOW you are working hard to make this the best CT site on the Internet, and YES you do a great job, but for PETE's
sake:

Give room to people who want real change and are prepared to do something about the current mess

The reasons for our strict restrictions on recruitment of any type has nothing to do with revenue or selfishness of any kind... and everything to do
with the simple fact that we take the privacy of our members very seriously.

We enjoy a wide range of users from all walks of life. Some are every-day people. Some are professionals enjoying anonymity. Some are researchers.
Some are insiders. We ask very little (email address) to qualify for joining ATS, and protect as much as we can.

Long ago, we had one or two horrible events where someone was using ATS to harvest contact information through a seemingly harmless charity effort.
Another time, a paid intelligence industry contractor concocted a scheme to collect member phone numbers.

Because of events such as these in our past, combined with the mind-set of our members that ranges from "paranoid" to "intensely private," we've
adopted a no-tolerance policy toward recruitment of any type.

Imagine how simple it would be to pose as like-minded concerned individual and gather up names and addresses to organize a protest in some large city.
Perhaps the motives are altruistic, perhaps not. We chose not to expose our members to the risk.

MoonmMine I understand your frustration but please do keep this in mind.

If ATS allows the pandoras box of recruitment to be opened it would open the floodgates for all kinds of issues. There are some truly worthy causes
out there to be sure, but there are also some horrific ones. It would put the staff in a position of having to distinguish between what is "good"
or "bad." Imagine the accusations of censorship and preferential treatment that would be hurled around if some of those threads were kept and
others were deleted. After all, one man's worthy cause may be another's ignonimity. It would have been pandemonium in here during the election
season for example.

I know it is frustrating when something most members find worthy of attention comes up, but believe me, the alternative is much much worse.

And I urge you to reconsider leaving us, you are a valuable member and I have always enjoyed your posts.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord
Imagine how simple it would be to pose as like-minded concerned individual and gather up names and addresses to organize a protest in some large city.
Perhaps the motives are altruistic, perhaps not. We chose not to expose our members to the risk.

Thank you for replying so quickly Bill

I am just... It is hard for me to understand why a call to a simple action is suppressed when no address gathering is involved.

As to the thread in question, there is also the manner in which it was written. Had it been phrased as a report/current event (eg this is what is
happening) rather than imploring people to join in and follow suit the thread may likely have remained.

As several posters have mentioned, the recruitment clause in the T&C is there for a reason, whether to protect privacy or prevent ATS from indirectly
supporting one side over another.

The intent is to create an as neutral discussion board as possible so that all sides may discuss in an as comfortale manner as possible.

Originally posted by MoonMine
Now I ask all of you, seriously, what is the point in coming here if this kind of strict policies exist? What is to point devoting time and creativity
to a board which seems only interested in protecting their income stream?

We can look at this two ways:

1. ATS is a place for like-minded people to come and discuss just about anything (Paranormal, UFO's, Gov't Conspiracies, Economic Issues, etc...
etc..)
2. ATS is a business

Does ATS make money? Sure. It has to. There is a group of people who run this website, and have funded it to make it work. This site, costs money to
run. It's a huge site. (Have you listened to podcast with the 3 Amigos about the History of ATS? - It's a great listen and offers some
perspective).

But we are being held in containment, whichever way you look at it...

I suppose you could look at it that way - but that's drawing a harsh edged line and not seeing the other side. On the larger picture, it makes sense.
As SO pointed out its for our protection. And not just from other members who might have alternative motives (not suggesting that you did, or that you
do - just that some members are not as honest as the rest of us), but from the people who "know" we are onto something.

It's fine and dandy that (most of us) are here for the same reason - to find the truth on whatever topics we happen to interested in. To brain storm,
to bounce ideas off of each other, and to look at things from a different perspective. Now, what happens, if we all decide to start a revolution? A
revolution that could expose, hinder, or affect someone's "plans?" The fact is, everything you or I say on ATS is available for anyone to read.
With technology today, I'm sure that someone out there knows exactly where I am typing this message from, and what my name is, and where I live.
Sure, that's possible right?

Daystar started a thread a while ago about "what could happen", if someone were to read your or my posts, and feel that we were a "threat". Well
dear, that's exactly what we are. The free thinkers, the rebels - we are the threat; and not to ATS. We're a threat to the people we're trying to
expose. We're a threat to the disinformation agents, and to the UFO knowers, and the people with "World Plans".

Everything that you or I post - can and will be linked back to us. This is an extreme way to look at it but: ATS is protecting you from the men in
black suits and black suburbans, from knocking on your door, with a printout of your posts and saying the word "treason" in the same sentence as
"you're name is _________ and you're being arrested under suspicion of".

I didn't read the thread - so I don't know what the subject was, or what was being brought to the table; but, if someone from ATS looked at your
thread and said "I think we might have a potential issue here... it might be wise to close this thread as it may draw unnecessary attention" I
wouldn't be upset about it - I'd be relieved to know that someone is watching my back. I like to think, that ATS has our best interests at heart
when it comes to the Policies - but then again, maybe I'm naiive in placing my faith in a website.

During these times, in this day & age, please remind me why exactly I keep coming here in support of ATS because I am close to shutting down my
browser an never visiting abovetopsecret.com EVER again.

Because something about this site, draws you here. Nothing is stopping you from logging out, closing your browser and never visiting ATS again: except
you.

Give room to people who want real change and are prepared to do something about the current mess

The room for that, is not on this website. The T&C were clearly laid out when each and everyone of us joined. We clicked Agree, and we said yes. ATS
is a free membership, and anyone can join and post. Perhaps, if we had to pay for our memberships and had a board of directors and held annual
meetings to discuss the path of ATS - you would be able to voice this as a concern. But, ATS remains a free site. And whether or not you agree, that
it is for your protection, the rules are set in place for a reason.

This content community relies on user-generated content from our member contributors. The opinions of our members are not those of site ownership who maintains strict editorial agnosticism and simply provides a collaborative venue for free expression.